Edifying vs Pride in Sharing Christ's Facebook Posts

The act of sharing Christian content, such as "Christ's Facebook posts," can be motivated by either a desire to edify others or by pride, a distinction that early Christian thinkers and biblical texts address. The Apostle Paul, for instance, recognized that Christ could be preached from various motives, stating, "The former insincerely preach Christ from selfish ambition, thinking that they add affliction to my chains" (Philippians 1:16). He also noted that "some preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will, some of love" ^[12]. This highlights that the manner and motive behind sharing Christian messages are crucial.

Edification, from the Greek oikodomē, refers to building up or strengthening others in their faith ^[4]. John Chrysostom, in his homilies on Romans, interprets Paul's exhortation, "Let every one of us please his neighbor for his good to edification," to mean that those who are strong in faith should use their strength to benefit the weak ^[4]. This aligns with the broader biblical principle that actions should be undertaken for the benefit of others, not solely for personal gain or display. Paul also states, "all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not" and "Let no one seek his own advantage, but also that of his neighbour" ^[13]. Matthew Henry, a nonconformist commentator, emphasized that discourse, even in social settings, should be "to the use of edifying," taking opportunities to instruct and reprove when necessary ^[9].

In contrast, pride is consistently presented as a vice in Christian thought. Augustine frequently discusses pride, noting that it "debashes" the heart, while humility "exalts" it ^[7]. He also connects pride with a "vain self-sufficiency" that needs to be brought down to "lowliness of spirit" ^[5]. Augustine further warns against the "display of the face outwardly," suggesting that actions done for outward show rather than genuine charity are profitless ^[6]. Clement of Alexandria similarly states that "Knowledge puffeth up, but love edifieth," indicating that even knowledge, if not coupled with love, can lead to pride rather than true spiritual growth ^[8]. The proud are often described as "puffed up, as if swelled out with wind," a metaphor for their empty self-importance ^[3].

The motivation behind sharing Christian content online, therefore, becomes a critical factor. If the intent is to genuinely build up the faith of others, offer encouragement, or share the good news without seeking personal acclaim, it aligns with the concept of edification. However, if the primary motivation is to gain social approval, demonstrate one's own piety, or engage in self-promotion, it risks falling into the category of pride. Calvin, in his Institutes, argues that believers should not "glory or confid[e] in our works" because salvation is entirely outside of human effort ^{[10, 11]}. This principle can be extended to sharing Christian content; the focus should remain on Christ and the edification of the community, not on the individual's performance or recognition.

Suffering for Christ is also a theme related to public witness. Peter encourages believers not to be ashamed if they suffer for being Christian, but to "glorify God in this matter" (1 Peter 4:16). He also urges rejoicing in sharing Christ's sufferings, as this leads to joy at the revelation of His glory (1 Peter 4:13; ^{[1, 2]}). This suggests that public identification with Christ, even in the face of adversity, is a form of glorifying God, distinct from prideful self-exaltation.

Sources

I Peter “I Peter 4:13 (BSB) — But rejoice that you share in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed at the revelation of His glory.”
1 Peter “But because you are partakers of Christ’s sufferings, rejoice; that at the revelation of his glory you also may rejoice with exceeding joy. -- 1 Peter 4:13”
Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 6: Augustine — Homilies on the Gospels — CHAP. I.--1. If any one will piously and soberly consider the sermon which our Lord Jesus Christ spoke on the mount, as we read it in the Gospel according to Matthew, I think that he will find in it, (part 2): spirit means audacity and pride: usually also the proud are said to have great spirits; and rightly, inasmuch as the wind also is called spirit. And hence it is written, "Fire, hail, snow, ice, spirit of tempest."(6) But, indeed, who does not know that the proud are spoken of as puffed up, as if swelled out with wind? And hence also tha”
CCEL/NPNF (Eastern Orthodox) “John Chrysostom, Homilies on Acts & Romans: in regard to the treatment which should be accorded to the weak in chap. xiv . The crowning consideration is that Christ pleased not himself, but bore the burdens of the weak. This is presented as the type of all Christian duty. In v. 6 the construction usually preferred is (as in R.V.) “the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ” (cf. Eph. i. 3, 17 ).—G.B.S. Ver. 2 . “Let every one of us please his neighbor for his good to edification.” But what he says is this. Art thou powerful? Let the weak have trial of thy power. Let him come to know thy stren”
Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 1: Augustine — Confessions, Letters — TO THE PEOPLE OF MADAURA, MY LORDS WORTHY OF PRAISE, AND BRETHREN MOST BELOVED, AUGUSTIN SENDS GREETING, IN REPLY TO THE LETTER RECEIVED BY THE HANDS OF BROTHER FLORENTINUS. (part 5): who, confessing his sins, shall have levelled with the dust all the vain risings of pride, and prostrated himself in meekness and humility to receive God as his Teacher ? 6. Since, therefore, it is necessary that we be first brought down from vain self-sufficiency to lowliness of spirit, that rising thence .we may attain to real exaltation, it was not possible that ”
Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 7: Augustine — Homilies on John — JOHN IV. 12-16. (part 10): no difference. I dare to say somewhat, but not I; Paul hath said it: charity dies, that is, a man having charity confesses the name of Christ, suffers martyrdom: pride also confesses, suffers also martyrdom. The one hath charity, the other hath not charity. But let him that hath not charity hear from the apostle: "If I distribute all my goods to the poor, and if I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.(1) So then the divine Scripture calls us off from the display of the face outwardly to t”
Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 2: Augustine — City of God, Christian Doctrine — CHAP. 13.--THAT IN ADAM'S SIN AN EVIL WILL (part 2): good to have the heart lifted up, yet not to one's self, for this is proud, but to the Lord, for this is obedient, and can be the act only of the humble. There is, therefore, something in humility which, strangely enough, exalts the heart, and something in pride which debases it. This seems, indeed, to be contradictory, that loftiness should debase and lowliness exalt. But pious humility enables us to submit to what is above us; and nothing is more exalted above us than God; and ther”
Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 1: Clement, Polycarp, Ignatius, Barnabas, Papias, Justin Martyr, Irenaeus — CHAP. XXVI.--"KNOWLEDGE PUFFETH UP, BUT (part 1): LOVE EDIFIETH." 1. It is therefore better and more profitable to belong to the simple and unlettered class, and by means of love to attain to nearness to God, than, by imagining ourselves learned and skilful, to be found [among those who are] blasphemous against their own God, inasmuch as they conjure up another God as the Father. And for this reason Paul exclaimed, "Knowledge puffeth up, but love edifieth:"(2) not that he meant to inveigh against a true knowled”
Luke (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Luke 14:7: Our Lord Jesus here sets us an example of profitable edifying discourse at our tables, when we are in company with our friends. We find that when he had none but his disciples, who were his own family, with him at his table, his discourse with them was good, and to the use of edifying; and not only so, but when he was in company with strangers, nay, with enemies that watched him, he took occasion to reprove what he saw amiss in them, and to instruct them. Though the wicked were before him, he did not keep silence from good (as David did, Psa 39:1, Psa 39:2), for, no”
CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 69: of the divine goodness may be fully displayed. When we see that all the parts of our salvation thus exist without us, what ground can we have for glorying or confiding in our works? Neither as to the efficient nor the final cause can the most sworn enemies of divine grace raise any controversy with us unless they would abjure the whole of Scripture. In regard to the material or formal cause they make a gloss, as if they held that our works divide the merit with faith and the righteousness of Christ. But here also Scripture reclaims”
CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 69: Scripture dissuades us from all confidence in works. Fifth answer, showing that we have no ground of boasting. 17. Sixth answer, showing, in regard to four different classes, that works have no part in procuring our salvation. 1. The efficient cause is the free love of the Father. 2. The material cause is Christ acquiring righteousness for us. 3. The instrumental cause is faith. 4. The final cause the display of the divine justice and praise of the divine goodness. 18. A second objection, founded on the glorying of saints. An answe”
Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 4: Augustine — Anti-Manichaean, Anti-Donatist — CHAP. 82.--179. PETILIANUS said: "But the holy apostle said this: 'In any way, whatsoever it may be,' he says, 'let Christ be preached.'" (part 1): 180. AUGUSTIN answered: You speak against yourself; but yet, since you speak on the side of truth, if you love it, let what you say be counted for you. For I ask of you of whom it was that the Apostle Paul said this? Let us, if you please, trace this a little further back. "Some," he says, "preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will, some of love, knowing that I am set”
Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 2: Hermas, Tatian, Theophilus, Athenagoras, Clement of Alexandria — CHAP. VII.--THE BLESSEDNESS OF THE MARTYR. (part 6): says the apostle: "all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not."[2] And, "Let no one seek his own advantage, but also that of his neighbour,"[3] so as to be able at once to do and to teach, building and building up. For that "the earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof," is admitted; but the conscience of the weak is supported. "Conscience, I say, not his own, but that of the other; for why is my liberty judged of by another conscience? For if I by gr”

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